Keyboard that incorporates a printing mechanism

ABSTRACT

A keyboard for use with a computer includes a housing that defines an input formation for the input of sheets of media. The housing carries a keypad. A pagewidth printer is arranged in the housing. A feed mechanism is positioned in the housing for feeding the sheets of media from the input formation through the housing along a print media feed path so that the printer can carry out a printing operation on the sheets of media. The feed mechanism includes a moving feed member that defines a substantially planar support surface along the media feed path.

This is a continuation application of U.S. Ser. No. 09/966,293 filed onSep. 28, 2001 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,641,315.

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates to a keyboard. More particularly, the inventionrelates to a computer keyboard that incorporates a printing mechanism.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Printers for use with computers can be relatively expensive devices.Accordingly, in a work environment, it is common for a plurality ofworkstations to be serviced by a single printer station with thecomputers of those workstations communicating with the printer.

This necessitates people at the workstation having to get up and collecttheir documents from the printer which can be time wasting. Often, allthat is required is a single sheet of paper, for example, where a letteris to be generated or where an image is to be viewed and a hard copy ofthe image is required.

Desktop inkjet printers are available at low cost, but typically take upsubstantial desk space. Incorporation of the printing function in adesktop computer keyboard frees up this desk space.

While it is technically possible to incorporate a scanning ink jetprinter into a keyboard, this has several disadvantages, includingexcess bulk and side-to-side vibration as the printhead scans.

Recently, the present inventor has invented ink jet printer technologiessuitable for incorporation in a desktop keyboard, such as:

6,227,652 6,213,588 6,213,589 6,231,163 6,247,795 6,394,581 6,244,6916,257,704 6,416,168 6,220,694 6,257,705 6,247,794 6,234,610 6,247,7936,264,306 6,241,342 6,247,792 6,264,307 6,254,220 6,234,611 6,302,5286,283,582 6,239,821 6,338,547 6,247,796 6,557,977 6,390,603 6,362,8436,293,653 6,312,107 6,227,653 6,234,609 6,238,040 6,188,415 6,227,6546,209,989 6,247,791 09/112,764 6,217,153 6,416,167 6,243,113 6,283,5816,247,790 6,260,953 6,267,469 6,273,544 6,309,048 6,420,196 6,443,5586,439,689 6,378,989 09/425,420 09/422,893 09/693,703 6,406,129 6,505,9166,457,809 6,550,895 6,457,812 6,428,133

The above patents and patent applications are hereby incorporated byreference.

These ink jet technologies are suitable for the construction ofminiature, low cost pagewidth printers, which can readily fit within akeyboard form factor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided akeyboard for use with a computer, the keyboard comprising

a housing that defines an input formation for the input of sheets ofmedia;

a keypad carried by the housing;

a pagewidth printer arranged in the housing; and

a feed mechanism positioned in the housing for feeding the sheets ofmedia from the input formation through the housing along a print mediafeed path so that the printer can carry out a printing operation on thesheets of media, wherein the feed mechanism includes a moving feedmember that defines a substantially planar support surface along themedia feed path.

The moving feed member may be in the form of an endless belt and thefeed mechanism may include a roller assembly for driving the belt.

The roller assembly may include a drive roller and an opposed idlerroller.

A planar support member may be positioned in the housing to bear againstthe belt, such that a portion of the belt abutting the planar supportmember is maintained in a substantially planar condition.

The input formation may be in the form of a slot defined in the housing.

The keypad may be an alphanumeric keypad with generally rectangulardimensions, the input slot being defined on one of a pair of longersides of the keypad and an exit slot being defined on the other longerside of the keypad, with the feed mechanism being positioned between theslots such that the media feed path between the slots is substantiallyplanar.

The invention extends to a computer which includes a keyboard asdescribed above.

The advantage of the invention is that the planarity of the print mediaas it moves through the housing allows a smooth media transfer. Further,forms of print media other than paper can be used. The planarity of theprint media facilitates a stable operational platform for the pagewidthprinter, since shaking of the keyboard is minimized.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided akeyboard, particularly for use with a computer, the keyboard including

a housing;

an alphanumeric keypad carried by the housing; and

a page width printer arranged in the housing.

The housing has dimensions approximating those of a standard computerkeyboard, the housing having an ejection slot along one, longer sidethrough which print media can be ejected after an image has been printedon the print media by the printer.

Preferably, the housing includes an input slot along an opposed, longerside for feeding print media to the printer. Typically, the print mediais in the form of sheets of paper to be fed to the printer one sheet ata time.

The keyboard may include a feed means arranged in the housing forfeeding the print media from the input slot to the printer. The feedmeans may be arranged within the housing and may be in the form of abelt drive arrangement for feeding the print media to the printer.

Further, the keyboard may include an engaging means arrangedintermediate the printer and the ejection slot for feeding the printmedia out of the ejection slot. Thus, the engaging means may be arrangeddownstream of the printer and may be in the form of one or more spikedwheels which grip and transport the print media to the ejection slot.

As indicated above, the keyboard is particularly intended for use with acomputer. Accordingly, the keypad may include a standard, QWERTY keypad,a numeral keypad and a plurality of control keys.

The housing may include an access opening for enabling an ink supply ofthe printer to be replenished. A lid in a top surface of the housing mayclose off the access opening. The ink supply of the printer may includea removable ink cartridge which is accessed through the access openingof the housing.

Preferably, the printer is a full color printer. The printer may be aphoto quality printer.

The printhead may comprise an array of nozzles, said array beingfabricated by microelectromechanical (MEMS) techniques.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided acomputer keyboard which includes

a housing having an array of keys carried thereon and defining achamber;

a pagewidth ink jet printer arranged within the chamber of the housing;and

an input slot in one side of the housing for feeding print media to theprinter and an ejection slot in an opposed side of the housing throughwhich the print media is ejected after printing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is now described by way of example with reference to theaccompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a three dimensional view of a keyboard, in accordance withthe invention;

FIG. 2 shows a sectional side view of the keyboard; and

FIG. 3 shows, on an enlarged scale, a sectional side view of part of thekeyboard.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings, reference numeral 10 generally designates a keyboard inaccordance with the invention. The keyboard 10 is intended particularlyfor use with a computer. The keyboard 10 comprises a housing 12 on whicha keypad 14 is arranged. A printer 16 (FIGS. 2 and 3) is contained in achamber 18 defined in the housing 12 of the keyboard 10.

The housing 12 is dimensioned similarly to a conventional computerkeyboard and is substantially rectangular when viewed in plan having apair of opposed, longer sides and a pair of opposed, shorter sides. Aninput slot 22 is defined in one of the longer sides of the housing 12for feeding print media in the form of a sheet of paper 24 to theprinter 16. Preferably, the input slot 22 is defined in that side of thehousing 12 which, in use, is closer to a user of the keyboard 10.

An ejection slot 26 is defined in an opposed, longer side of the housingthrough which the sheet of print media, incorporating an image 28, isejected after completion of printing. An exit tray 30 extends outwardlyfrom the ejection slot 26 on to which the sheet of paper 24 is fed afterprinting.

The keypad 14 includes an array if keys 38 arranged in a QWERTY keypad32, a numerals keypad 34 and a plurality of control keys 36. Each key 38of the keypad 14 includes a key cap 40 which communicates with akeyboard circuit board 42 (FIGS. 2 and 3) through an opening in a topsurface of the housing 12. The key caps 40 engage key switches 44mounted on the circuit board 42.

The printer 16 comprises a page width ink jet printhead 46 mounted in asupport 48. The printhead 46 is a multi-color printhead for printingphoto quality images 28. Accordingly, the support 48 includes aplurality of galleries 50, each of which contains a different color inkto be fed via passages 52 to the printhead 46.

The printer 16 includes a controller printed circuit board (PCB) 55. ThePCB 55 receives printing commands from the computer (not shown) via aUSB connector 56 (FIG. 1). A printhead PCB 54 communicates with theprinthead 46 via a TAB automated bond film 58 or any other suitable,flexible film. The controller PCB 55 connects to the printhead PCB 54via a flexible film.

A retaining device, in the form of a locking member 60, releasably locksthe printer 16 in position in the chamber 18 of the housing 12. Thelocking device 60 includes a cam-like locking member 62.

Further, the printer 16 includes an ink supply cartridge (not shown) forfeeding ink to the galleries 50 of the printhead support 48. The inksupply cartridge is accessed through an opening, closed off by a lid 64(FIG. 1), in a top surface of the housing 12 to replace the cartridgewhen its supply of ink has been depleted.

The keyboard 10 includes a feed mechanism 66 for feeding the sheet ofpaper 24 to the printer 16. The feed mechanism 66 comprises an endlessbelt 68 which is rotated by a drive roller 70 and extends about anopposed, idler roller 72. A planar member in the form of a sprung metalplate 74 bears against the belt 68 to maintain the planarity of the belt68 and, accordingly, the sheet of paper 24.

An engaging means, in the form of at least one spiked wheel 76, isarranged intermediate the printer 16 and the ejection slot 26. The, oreach, spiked wheel 76 engages the sheet of paper 24, after printing ofthe image 28, and feeds the sheet of paper 24 through the ejection slot26 to be accessed by the user.

In use, when an image 28 is to be printed, the user inserts a sheet ofpaper into the keyboard through the input slot 22 where it is fed to theprinter 16 by the feed arrangement 66. By means of an appropriatecommand via the computer, the information or image to be printed is fedto the printer 16 via the USB connector 56 and the controller PCB 55.The printer 16 is controlled by the PCB 55 to print the image 28 on thesheet of paper 24 and to cause ejection of the sheet of paper 24together with its printed image 28 thereon through the ejection slot 26.

It is an advantage of the invention that a computer peripheral isprovided which enables a person rapidly to obtain copies of images whileseated before the person's computer. In this regard, it is to be notedthat the printer 16 is a high-speed printer which can print at rates ofup to 30 pages per minute. Hence, the need for using a communalworkstation is obviated. In addition, the incorporation of the printerwithin the keyboard 10 considerably reduces the space required for acomputer together with its peripherals and, in so doing, providing morespace to a user. It will be appreciated that this can be of majorbenefit where the workstation is a confined working space.

We claim:
 1. A keyboard for use with a computer, the keyboard comprisinga housing that defines an input formation for the input of sheets ofmedia; a keypad carried by the housing; a pagewidth printer arranged inthe housing; and a feed mechanism positioned in the housing for feedingthe sheets of media from the input formation through the housing along aprint media feed path so that the printer can carry out a printingoperation on the sheets of media, wherein the feed mechanism includes amoving feed member that defines a substantially planar support surfacealong the media feed path.
 2. A keyboard as claimed in claim 1, in whichthe moving feed member is in the form of an endless belt and the feedmechanism includes a roller assembly for driving the belt.
 3. A keyboardas claimed in claim 2, in which the roller assembly includes a driveroller and an opposed idler roller.
 4. A keyboard as claimed in claim 2,in which a planar support member is positioned in the housing to bearagainst the belt, such that a portion of the belt abutting the planarsupport member is maintained in a substantially planar condition.
 5. Akeyboard as claimed in claim 1, in which the input formation is in theform of a slot defined in the housing.
 6. A keyboard as claimed in claim5, in which the keypad is an alphanumeric keypad with generallyrectangular dimensions, the input slot being defined on one of a pair oflonger sides of the keypad and an exit slot being defined on the otherlonger side of the keypad, with the feed mechanism being positionedbetween the slots such that the media feed path between the slots issubstantially planar.
 7. A computer which includes a keyboard as claimedin claim 1.